At 5 Weeks – Ghost Cramps and Odds of Miscarriage in Early First Trimester

Today I am at officially 5 weeks. The baby is about 4-5 millimeters which is about .16 of an inch, or about the size of a sesame seed (though I also like the comparison of a donut sprinkle.) It will be a while before I need to shop for maternity clothes.

As you have probably already discovered, the internet is full of so much confusing information that it’s overwhelming.

One thing I did find out is that odd lower stomach cramps are common, though rarely discussed in pregnancy symptoms in books. I want to call them “Ghost Cramps” because they feel sort of like period cramps, but without the pressure or sharpness, yet still similar. It turns out that this can be normal. Bleeding isn’t, but the cramping can be. It’s not uncommon the first few weeks as your body adjusts to being pregnant.

If you ARE having such cramps, definitely mention it to your doctor. It may be caused by a UTI or another cause that should be addressed. Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to UTIs.

The thing is, these symptoms also can happen in the “not actually pregnant” scenarios that I talked about yesterday.

To avoid stress, I’ve just decided to wait until I’m at 6 – 8 weeks so that we can hear the heartbeat. It turns out that up until that point, there is a roughly 25% chance of miscarriage. After that time, the chance drops to like 5%, then continues to lower as you progress.

One thing to keep in mind is that in the 25% of those that miscarry, most women don’t even know their pregnant because it happens before they are late.

“This Week’s Symptoms”

Ghost cramps

Agonizingly sensitive nipples

Bloating, not in a gas sort of way, more a water retaining sort of way. I feel swollen.

Slight lower back pain

Absence of the acne that always accompanies my periods. Now that I think back about it, it didn’t even occur during the normal PMS period.

Excess salivation. I’m a voice actor. I noticed this when I went to record and found myself almost drooling as I read the script.